Browsing: Paul

John Cena (photo credit WWE media kit)

SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)…

For the most part, Iâ€ve really enjoyed a post-Vince McMahon WWE. Most of the things I dislike about the current product have been faults of TKO. The constant brand-integration sponsorships, rising prices to attend a live event, and having to have access to six different platforms to watch WWE are at the top of my list. While not perfect, WWE’s Creative has been better than what we were getting from WWE in the last decade of Vince McMahon. Better is not an automatic pass, though.

Paul Levesque will never be a perfect booker, nor should he be expected to be. Look at any era and there are stories that didnâ€t work. The same shows with The Undertakerâ€s debut had the Gobbledy Gooker, and while Steven Austin and the Rock were on top of the world, Mae Young was delivering Mark Henryâ€s baby hand. Any writer will tell you that not everything is a hit. I know that different ideas in my head will play differently when put out into art for others to appreciate.

Weâ€ve had great moves like Codyâ€s story, the introduction of mid-card womenâ€s titles, and the rise of brilliant talents such as Dominik Mysterio. Weâ€ve also had some misfires that were more than simple undercard angles that were dropped.

Tag Teams (or Making Every Title Matter)

If you watch Smackdown in a vacuum, they have a really good tag team division. Thereâ€s even a team in Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss that are a pretty fan act as champions right now. But thereâ€s a lacking of depth in the company when it comes to tag team wrestling.

Raw has been the worst offender, as Finn Balor & J.D. McDonough have only defended their titles once on television before the match with A.J. Styles & Dragon Lee – two guys who have been feuding with another guy in their stable, showing there are no actual tag teams that are taken seriously on Raw as contenders right now. With a roster with more members on it than ever before, there have to be more green guys who can learn in teams or established stars without storylines, like with Styles & Lee.

With the women, it will be the same 3-4 teams, not leaving enough teams to have personal grudges as established teams. Makeshift teams end up being the majority of the womenâ€s tag roster. We need the male equivalents to the Road Warriors, Dudleys, and FTR who make tag wrestling their established division to work within.

As stacked as the Smackdown tag roster is, you do have to watch Smackdown to catch the matches. With USA not having streaming abilities outside of a cable package, this leaves many people without access to Smackdown. While personally loving tag team wrestling, and one that has watched the majority of WWE PLEs, I miss watching tag title matches on the big cards. The biggest moments are saved for these PLEs, and their tag team champions arenâ€t priority to get those moments.

Wyatt Sicks

While on the topic of tag team champions, The Wyatt family not being a major part of your October PLE makes no sense to me. People adored Bray. We miss him and want to celebrate and honor his work that was left. After a stellar debut, it quickly became just another faction. There were injuries, but instead of using the healthy members, theyâ€re removed from television until all were healthy. Thereâ€s a Universal Studios exhibit, and theyâ€re tag team champions, but we missed a lot in between, and now fans have less invested in the group than we should.

ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…

Check out the latest episode of the Wade Keller Pro Wrestling Post-show covering the latest episode of Smackdown: CLICK HERE to stream (or search “wade Keller†on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other iOS or Android app to subscribe free)

Karion Kross

I remember when Claudio Castignoli was in WWE as Cesaro and how everyone he worked with seemed to have great things about him, fans were strongly behind him, and even “Stone Cold” Steve Austin was pushing for Cesaro to get pushed to the top of the card on a live podcast to Vince McMahon. Alas, that glass ceiling withstood, and there was no shattering it by proving yourself if the right person who made the decisions didnâ€t see it.

Kross was a viral sensation and top merch seller, while being at the bottom of the mid-card. He was getting ovations in multiple cities that didnâ€t match his presentation. The fans liked him. I guess the new WWE offices have those glass ceilings too.

Ron “The Truth†Killings

The man cut the Promo of the Year after returning from being released from his contract. Interrupting the broadcast, taking over the show, and ending that monologue by cutting the braids from his hair heâ€d been known from for decades… and nothing.

Heâ€s now the same R-Truth comedy character he was before. I was ready for a matured version of his TNA run. I wanted to hear from the man who was always held back. Especially when the fans – and fellow wrestlers who disagreed with the decision – were very vocal in their support. It was his chance to visit the main event in the twilight of his wrestling career, but nowâ€s heâ€s another missed opportunity.

Cena Heel Turn

We all wanted to see it. We got it and the wrestling world was on fire. Crossover attention on memes, fan reaction videos creating internet traffic, and the venture fandom wanting to hear that first promo afterwards. Then he came out in jorts and a retirement T-shirt that celebrated his career as brightly as a cereal box.

When Eric Bischoff recalls working with Hulk Hogan, he remembers how, no matter how good an idea was, that Hulk Hogan would always ask, “What happens next?†Hogan knew that no matter how big the moment could be, there was a show to do next week and a new PPV to start building towards. WWE has attempted to build too many shows around “moments†without there being a payoff or a move to something bigger.

In any narrative, you need a reason for a character to change their motivation, and it needs to be plotted out, as a shocking moment should be a stepping stone, not the ultimate moment itself. TV dramas have shown how this can go down for years. Kill off a character in order to alter the relationships of the characters for a storyline payoff, or a ratings ploy that left them in a hole they couldnâ€t get out of. The Cena turn ended up being the latter.

(Griffin is a lifelong fan of wrestling, superheroes, and rebellious music of all forms. He is the owner of Nerdstalgia, and you can shop online, learn about visiting the store in Colorado Springs, or catch him at a comic con in the Rocky Mountain area by going to http://nerdstalgia.shop.)

Source link

Rookie patches are about to change the hobby again — only this time in the NBA.

Fanatics recently announced it will include Rookie Debut Patches for players starting with the upcoming NBA season.

Even though the season hasnâ€t begun yet, the chase is already on for the most coveted of all those NBA Rookie Debut Patch cards — the Dallas Mavericks†Cooper Flagg.

Advertisement

The Rookie Debut Patch Autographed card has already become one of the most collectible modern cards. In March, the MLB Rookie Debut Autographed Patch card of Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes sold for $1.1 million to Dickâ€s Sporting Goods.

That sale turned a lot of heads, thrusting modern baseball card collecting into the spotlight — a space long dominated by vintage cards.

The question as we head into the NBA season: Can Flaggâ€s Rookie Debut Patch card beat that number?

Itâ€s quite possible.

There are a couple of elements that could boost Flaggâ€s card over the Skenes record.

The first is the international appeal of the NBA. It has a massive global following, especially in Asia, where many of the most sought-after NBA cards have ended up.

Advertisement

The league has held preseason games in Asia since 2004, including two games in Macau this year that coincided with the Asia Sports Collectors Convention (ASCC). The ASCCâ€s special guest signers were also overwhelmingly former NBA stars, including Dwyane Wade, Stephon Marbury and Kevin Garnett.

Topps added another international layer last week, launching its first NBA product in 15 years — 2025-26 NBA Match Attax — exclusively in China.

Another factor: Many of the top modern card sales have been basketball cards. Of the top five sales in 2025 so far, all have been modern NBA cards, with four of the five sold privately.

Those cards have ranged from $2.3 million to $12.9 million and have featured some of the NBAâ€s all-time greats, including Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Luka DonÄić.

Advertisement

Adding the layers of a robust international market, and private collectors seeking high-end cards, there may well be a person or group willing to take a gamble on Flaggâ€s Rookie Debut Autographed Patch when it hits the market later this season.

The NBA tips off the 2025-26 season on Oct. 21, with Flagg and the Mavericks’ first game coming on Oct. 22. Itâ€s safe to say many eyes will be on that game as fans wait to see what the newest rookie can do.

If Flagg lives up to the hype, donâ€t be shocked if his card becomes the most expensive Rookie Debut Patch card ever.

Source link

A popular SmackDown superstar expressed interest in being managed by WWE Hall of Famer, Paul Heyman.

The 60-year old legend has led some of the top names in the industry to the promise land in World Wrestling Entertainment. His notable clients in the Stamford-based promotion are Brock Lesnar, Big Show, Kurt Angle, Rob Van Dam, CM Punk, Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins.

Today, Heyman is guiding Bronson Reed and Bron Breakker to be main event players. Last Monday on RAW, they collectively kicked out Rollins in The Vision and declared that “the future is now.”

However, it seems that some WWE superstars wants a piece of The Oracle’s wisdom and one of them is none other than Damian Priest from Friday Night SmackDown. Speaking with the Kairouz Bros,The Archer of Infamy noted Heyman’s history of betraying people but still welcomed the idea of being managed by the Hall of Famer.

The former World Heavyweight Champion added that he was also guilty of stabbing people in the back for career advancement.

“Yes, he has his ways about him, but Iâ€m a Paul Heyman guy. I have no problem with him advocating for me. Thatâ€s part of this business (backstabbing), everybody does that. Iâ€ve been guilty of that too. You canâ€t deny what he can do for your career,” Priest disclosed. (H/T Sportskeeda.)

Damian Priest as a future Paul Heyman guy??? Iâ€m not mad at it tbh ðŸ¤pic.twitter.com/AkmfsZPN9Q

— Public Enemies Podcast (@PublicEnemiesHQ) April 18, 2023

Last week on SmackDown in Perth, Western Australia, Priest lost to Aleister Black in a last man standing match after the latter threw a fireball in his face, thanks to Zelina Vega’s interference.

More WWE Superstars Want to be A Paul Heyman Guy

In the same interview, Sami Zayn and The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford) also admitted they want Paul Heyman to be their “advocate” as well.

Ford emphasized Heyman’s ability to lead wrestlers to championship victories. He added that being a main event player is a WWE superstar’s ultimate dream and only Heyman can provide it.

Meanwhile, Zayn stated that he’s not ruling out a prospect of being managed by the “Oracle.” The current United States Champion pointed out that the latter’s relationships are transactional.

It can be remembered that The Underdog from the Underground was once affiliated by Heyman in The Bloodline. However, the former “Wiseman” expressed his disgust on the then-Master Strategist being around Roman Reigns and The Usos (Jimmy and Jey).

Source link

Chicago Cubs: OF Pete Crow-Armstrong (Age: 23)

Crow-Armstrong is still searching for consistency at the plate, but it’s hard to poke holes in a 23-year-old posting a 118 OPS+ with 37 doubles, 31 home runs, 95 RBI, 91 runs scored and 35 steals in a 6.0-WAR season. He is also a lock to take home his first Gold Glove in center field, and could be the NL Platinum Glove winner.

Honorable Mentions:SP Cade Horton (24), 3B Matt Shaw (23)

Cincinnati Reds: SS Elly De La Cruz (Age: 23)

Whether it was the grind of playing every day, pitchers making adjustments or something else entirely, De La Cruz went from an All-Star in the first half (.854 OPS, 39 XBH, 18 HR, 25 SB) to a non-factor in the second half (.666 OPS, 21 XBH, 4 HR, 12 SB). The tools are there for him to be a face of the franchise player, but the 2026 season will be an important one in his development.

Honorable Mentions:OF Noelvi Marté (23)

Milwaukee Brewers: OF Jackson Chourio (Age: 21)

Chourio was the youngest player to make an Opening Day roster in 2025, and only four younger players appeared in the big leagues this year, yet he already has two 20/20 seasons under his belt. At an age when most prospects are still in the lower levels of the minors or playing college ball, he was one of the best players on a team that finished with 97 wins and a division title.

Honorable Mentions:SP Jacob Misiorowski (23)

Pittsburgh Pirates: SP Paul Skenes (Age: 23)

The term “generational talent” gets thrown around a lot when talking about young stars, but Skenes truly is that on the mound. Over his first 55 starts in the big leagues, he has a 1.96 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 386 strikeouts in 320.2 innings, and he is the favorite to take home NL Cy Young honors after leading the NL in ERA (1.97) and WHIP (0.95) while racking up 216 strikeouts in 187.2 innings.

Honorable Mentions:SP Bubba Chandler (23)

St. Louis Cardinals: SS Masyn Winn (Age: 23)

The Cardinals are at a crossroads, looking to get younger this offseason and expected to aggressively shop veterans such as Nolan Arenado, Sonny Gray and others, which leaves Winn as the foundational piece of their upcoming rebuilding efforts. The slick-fielding shortstop provides a valuable mix of defense, speed, extra-base pop and contact skills, and he is still capable of taking his game to another level.

Honorable Mentions:OF Victor Scott II (24)

Source link

Grayson Waller doesn’t take the Logan Paul comparisons negatively.

The Australian star recently had an interview with Battleground podcast. He talked about things such as his viral Meet & Greet moment, working with big names such as John Cena and Edge and more.

During the talk, Waller was also asked about being compared to the YouTube star. Grayson explained that he doesn’t take the comparison negatively at all, mentioning the success Logan Paul has had inside and outside of WWE:

“I donâ€t think that is a negative at all. Obviously, everything Loganâ€s done inside a short amount of time is very impressive. Look at everything he does outside the WWE. Look at the eyes that he brings to WWE.”

He Genuinely Cares: Grayson Waller

Grayson Waller then revealed that he actually got to work with the former US Champion when he first joined the company. Waller was in NXT at the time and since Shawn Michaels was not going to get in the ring with Paul for his training, the job fell on the former tag team champion:

“I could tell that day like he genuinely cares about what we do, and heâ€s very passionate. When youâ€re coming in as a celebrity, I think thatâ€s, thatâ€s the line that we draw in the locker room. Like, do you actually care about this?

Are you trying to get a payday, trying to get eyes on you? Are you trying to just take from us? But Loganâ€s not that guy. He genuinely cares, and heâ€s very good at it, and I think that upsets a lot of people, so if I get compared to him, Iâ€m not stressing, but I also do think I set myself apart from Logan in a lot of ways.”

The 35-year-old later explained that him being a full-time talent sets him apart from Logan. Since the social media celebrity has a lot of things going on, he can’t be constantly available for appearances in WWE the way Grayson Waller is.

Source link

Top WWE star believes Logan Paul ‘genuinely’ cares about the sport.

Last seen in action at Clash in Paris against John Cena, The Maverick has been missing from in-ring action since then. Just a few years into his pro-wrestling journey, Logan Paul has already impressed millions with his wrestling skills. Technically, a social media celebrity and an outsider in the world of wrestling, Paul has quickly adapted to the sport and transitioned himself into one of the most talented stars on the roster.

The Maverick currently wrestles as a heel on the roster and is known for his ability to antagonize his opponents or people on social media, a trait that heavily matches with Raw star Grayson Waller. Often compared to Paul by fans online, Waller recently appeared on the Battleground podcast, where he reacted to the comparisons.

“If you get compared to Logan Paul, I donâ€t think that is a negative at all. Obviously, everything Loganâ€s done in such a short amount of time is very impressive. Look at everything he does outside the WWE, look at the eyes that he brings to WWE.”

Waller also detailed Paul’s care for the sport,

When I was in NXT, I actually got to get in and train with him. He wanted to train with Shawn Michaels, Shawn didnâ€t know if Logan knew that he doesnâ€t bump around anymore so that was my job, to kind of come in and help Logan out. But I could tell that day, he genuinely cares about what we do and heâ€s very passionate.”

He further said,

And when youâ€re coming in as a celebrity, I think thatâ€s the line that we draw in the locker room. Do you actually care about this? Do you actually wanna do it, or are you trying to get a payday, trying to get eyes on you, are you trying to just take from us? But Loganâ€s not that guy – he genuinely cares. And heâ€s very good at it, and I think that upsets a lot of people.

So if I get compared to him, Iâ€m not stressing. But I also do think I set myself apart from Logan in a lot of ways. Iâ€m there every week. You need me in NXT? You need me to do AAA? You need me to do any media interviews? Grayson Wallerâ€s doing it all. Loganâ€s an in-and-out kinda guy, but thatâ€s just because he has so much more going on in his life outside the WWE. For me, WWE is everything to me, it means a lot to me, so I think thatâ€s where we differ.â€

Logan Paul Narrowly Escaped A WWE PLE This Year

This year at the 2025 Money in the Bank PLE, Logan Paul performed a springboard moonsault onto Jey Uso through an announce table. This caused a serious injury scare as Paul later discussed how he almost escaped death following the dive.

“Dude, Iâ€m good besides this hematoma on my shin. Yeah, itâ€s getting worked up… Itâ€s before the match and Iâ€m telling John Cena, ‘Hey, Iâ€d like to fit this spot.†He looks at me and he goes, ‘You canâ€t make that jump,†and I go, ‘I swear to God I can,†and dude, Johnâ€s the best. But in full sincerity, he goes, ‘You canâ€t make that jump,†and Iâ€m like, ‘Okay, buddy!†And I found out no one — successfully? Not so much (has done the move) — but believed I could make that jump.â€

“It was well-executed and Iâ€m f*cking alive. But it was a really hard landing. Really hard… When I landed, straight up, I was not sure if I broke both my f*cking shins.â€

In other news: New Championship tournament announced.

Source link

Logan Paul has become one of the most dependable Superstars in WWE, showing that celebrities can succeed if they work hard. With that in mind, Grayson Waller has now explained why Paul has actually ruined celebrity wrestling.

While speaking on the Battleground podcast, Grayson Waller was asked about being compared to Logan Paul, who is known for being confident, cocky, and able to back it up in the ring.

Waller said he doesnâ€t see that comparison as a bad thing, noting that everything Logan has achieved in such a short time is impressive. He praised Logan for his success both inside and outside WWE and for bringing new attention to the company.

“Logan Paul on social media — confident, cocky, but also someone who can deliver when the bell rings. Do I take that as flattery or feel like it downplays what makes me different?

I would never say that being compared to Logan Paul is a bad thing. Everything Loganâ€s done in such a short amount of time is really impressive. Look at what heâ€s achieved outside of WWE and the attention he brings to the company.â€

Waller added that Logan Paul has raised the bar for celebrity wrestling because of how skilled and dedicated he is, which is why Paul ruined celebrity wrestling. Now every celebrity who steps into the ring gets compared to him.

Paul explained that while some athletes and influencers from the NIL program want to skip ahead to big matches at WrestleMania, thatâ€s not how it works. Logan earned that spot through hard work and natural talent, something few can match.

“I honestly think Logan Paul ruined celebrity wrestling because he was so good and put in so much effort that now anyone who comes in gets compared to him.

Weâ€ve had some people — especially through the NIL program — college athletes and social media celebrities who want to come in, go straight to the main roster, and get big matches at WrestleMania. But it doesnâ€t work like that. You have to understand, Logan did that because heâ€s a special breed — a special athlete.â€

Grayson Wallerâ€s comments show how wrestling is changing. The difference between celebrities and full-time wrestlers is smaller now, but Logan Paul has made it hard for anyone else to match what heâ€s done. Like him or not, heâ€s already proven himself as a celebrity who changed wrestling.

Do you agree with Grayson Waller that Logan Paul “ruined†celebrity wrestling by setting the bar too high? Or has Loganâ€s success made WWE even more exciting for mainstream fans? Sound off in the comments.

Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication.

Source link

Raymond Hall/Getty Images

WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque has firmly established himself as the corporate face of WWE since taking over the creative direction of the company back in 2022. However, the former WWE Champion reportedly has aspirations of being on the level of another famous promoter who has arguably become the face of their entire organization.

In the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer has reported that sources within WWE believe that Levesque wants to become the WWE equivalent of UFC President Dana White, to the point where one person used the term “Dana-envy” when describing the situation. Levesque, who did say at one point in time that he doesn’t like being in the spotlight, wants to be positioned as the biggest star of the WWE brand in the eyes of the audience, but he might not be the only one who wants that to happen.

Meltzer noted that TKO might want Levesque to be the face of WWE as he will be the one constant presence within the company as wrestlers will come and go. This idea would effectively rule out someone like Cody Rhodes or Roman Reigns, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s schedule is too busy to be that guy as well, WWE President Nick Khan likes to keep a low profile.

Despite wanting to be the Dana White of WWE, Meltzer reported that Levesque has missed some shows recently, with a source close to Levesque claiming that his recent string of absences have been planned in advance. With that said, some people within WWE believe that a number of the shows Levesque hasn’t attended that haven’t been reported on has been due to his political priorities, but Levesque’s source claims that isn’t true either.

Is Paul Levesque Hurting WWE?

Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

The sources within WWE who told Meltzer that Levesque’s political commitments are the reason why he hasn’t been at certain shows, and the fact that he wants to be Dana White have actually started hurting the company. However, someone who is in a position of power in WWE told Meltzer that Levesque’s desire to be WWE’s Dana White isn’t hurting the company at all, and that the on-screen product wouldn’t change if Levesque was around 24/7 or micro-managing everything in the same way that Vince McMahon used to.

A number of people in WWE have stated that the company is in a much better place with Levesque in charge and that Levesque stays on top of the product despite not being at every show, as opposed to McMahon who was described as a dictator. With that said, a source within WWE did question Levesque’s motives as a booker and that he might care more about how a match, segment, or story looks on the “WWE Unreal” documentary on Netflix, rather than how it looks as it’s happening.

Meltzer did note that Levesque doesn’t really need to deliver a top of the range product right now due to how much money WWE is making. He believes that Levesque is able to hold off on major moments and matches, and has no pressure to drive up gate numbers at events because they are breaking records on a monthly basis. Meltzer rounded off by saying that with less house shows and non-televised live events, Levesque has no reason to give everything he has got creatively at every show, especially when the live events that the company does run makes more money than they had done when McMahon was in charge of the company.

Source link

LOS ANGELES — Former NBA player Paul Pierce was arrested Tuesday night on suspicion of driving under the influence on a Los Angeles highway after he was found asleep behind the wheel, state police said.

California Highway Patrol officers responded at about 10:40 p.m. to an unrelated car crash involving multiple vehicles on the northbound lanes of U.S. Highway 101, closing four of the six lanes to investigate, the agency said in a news release.

When they reopened the lanes about an hour later, they saw a Range Rover SUV stopped in the road, south of the crash. Officers saw Pierce asleep at the wheel and “noticed signs of alcohol impairment,” so they conducted a DUI investigation, the press release said.

He was arrested on a misdemeanor charge of driving under the influence of alcohol, which will be reviewed by the Los Angeles city attorney.

Pierce did not immediately respond to a message for comment, and additional contact information for him could not be immediately found.

Pierce played for the Boston Celtics for 15 seasons, and most recently for LA Clippers before retiring in 2017. He also played for the Brooklyn Nets and Washington Wizards.

The 10-time All-Star and the MVP of the 2008 NBA Finals was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021.

Pierce was recently a co-host of “Speak,” a sports talk show on Fox Sports that was canceled in July 2025.

Source link

Boston Celtics great Paul Pierce was reportedly arrested under suspicion of DUI in Los Angeles on Tuesday, California Highway Patrol told multiple news stations in California and Boston.

Pierce, 47, was reportedly found sleeping behind the wheel of his car on a Los Angeles freeway after 10:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Officers were initially called out to the area to investigate a multi-vehicle crash in the northbound lanes of the 101 freeway. While investigating that crash, officers noticed a Range Rover SUV stopped in one of the lanes on the freeway south of the crash.

Advertisement

Pierce was reportedly found asleep at the wheel of the Range Rover. Officers claimed they noticed signs of impairment from Pierce and began a DUI investigation. He was arrested under suspicion of driving while intoxicated. Pierce’s case will be “presented to the Los Angeles City Attorney for review,” per WCVB.

While Pierce spent nearly his entire NBA career in Boston, he was born — and grew up — in California. Pierce was born in Oakland and played high school basketball at Inglewood. He was a standout player in high school, playing in the 1995 McDonald’s All-American Game.

Pierce played college basketball at Kansas before the Celtics selected him with the No. 10 overall pick in the 1998 NBA Draft. Pierce put together a Hall of Fame career in Boston, leading the team to a championship during his 15-year career with the Celtics.

Toward the end of his career, Pierce also played for the Brooklyn Nets and Washington Wizards before spending his final two seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers.

Advertisement

Following his playing days, Pierce served as an NBA analyst at ESPN from 2017-2021. He was let go by the network after live streaming a video of a party.

Pierce started working for FS1 in 2024. He found himself in the headlines in May, when he walked 20 miles to work after a bold prediction about the Celtics backfired.

Source link